Tracking systems traditionally have been used to provide benefits to sellers as well as consumers. For instance, one example of a tracking system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,082 to Davis et al. prevents products from being sold by unauthorized distributors. Another example of a tracking system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,990 to Montanari et al. allows consumers to verify the organic status of a food product and/or to identify the source of contamination.
In the alcoholic beverage industry and society in general, however, there is a lack of any satisfactory method for tracking alcoholic containers. Once alcohol is purchased, the purchaser can, without much apprehension, give or sell the alcohol to underage persons. Additionally, if underage persons are found to have been drinking alcohol, there usually is no way to conclusively determine the purchaser of the alcohol. The underage persons are usually reluctant to divulge the name of the person who gave or sold them the alcohol, and if they do divulge a name, that person usually denies the same, putting the law enforcement personnel in the position to determine who is telling the truth.
The consequences stemming from the unmonitored and abusive consumption of alcohol by those not of legal age has long been a societal issue of the utmost concern. Every year thousands of families are destroyed as a result of the underage consumption of alcohol. In general, statistics regarding the effects of alcoholic consumption on persons of any age staggering. However, the effects are even more striking in teens. Alcohol remains the most prevalent drug problem of today's youth. Many of us are familiar with a tragic consequence stemming from underage drinking. Moreover, the combination of alcohol use and driving by underage persons with little driving experience and low alcohol tolerance can be deadly. But several other problems are associated with underage drinking, including crime, various types of traumatic injury, suicide, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisonings, alcohol dependence and abuse requiring treatment.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for tracking alcoholic containers in a way that attempts to inhibit the consumption of alcohol by minors and acts as a deterrent to underage drinking.